MONTREAL — Air Canada says safety was never compromised after Transport Canada imposed a monetary penalty on a former pilot who lacked the required licence certification to serve as a captain.

In a statement issued June 8, the airline said the matter involved a former employee who had been promoted to captain but did not hold the mandatory Airline Transport Pilot Licence (ATPL) required under Canadian regulations for captains operating large commercial aircraft.

According to Air Canada, the individual held a valid Commercial Pilot Licence and successfully met or exceeded all recurrent training requirements throughout his employment. The airline noted that all pilots undergo mandatory recurrent training every six months, as well as an annual flight check conducted by a certified Transport Canada check pilot.

The airline emphasized that while safety was not affected, proper licensing remains a critical component of the industry’s multi-layered safety framework.

Upon discovering the issue, Air Canada said it immediately removed the pilot from active duty and voluntarily reported the matter to Transport Canada.

The airline also conducted an audit of its pilot group and found no additional instances of non-compliance.

In response to the incident, Air Canada said it has reinforced its administrative procedures for licence verification. Pilot licences are already cross-checked twice annually as part of recurrent training and competency checks, and the airline has strengthened its process for physically verifying licences, including confirmation of original documents issued by Transport Canada.

The former pilot is no longer employed by Air Canada.

The airline said it is unable to provide further details because of privacy legislation and an ongoing criminal investigation.